Friday, April 3, 2009

Friday In Texas A Little Light On TV

As they say, things are always a little bit bigger in Texas. Just like last season, the Texas Motor Speedway stretches out the weekend schedule and puts the Nationwide cars on the track all day Thursday. While that might be good for attendance, once again there was no TV coverage of Nationwide qualifying.

Since the Nationwide Series action is over, SPEED comes on the air Friday with a much lighter load than normal. Sprint Cup Series practice is at 1PM ET with the NASCAR on Fox announce team. Once that is over, SPEED has two hours to fill until Cup qualifying.

It will be Steve Byrnes hosting a one hour edition of NASCAR Live at 2:30PM with both Hermie Sadler and Bob Dillner on the SPEED Stage. Randy Pemberton and Rutledge Wood will provide the reporting for this show. Yes, you read that right.

To fill the final hour, SPEED has back-to-back repeat episodes of the gameshow called NASCAR Smarts. This program has struggled from the start. The format of matching a random NASCAR fan with either Kyle Petty or Rutledge Wood is just not working. Look for some renovations to this train wreck very soon.

Mike Joy leads the NASCAR on Fox team of Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip back onto SPEED at 4:30PM for live Cup qualifying.

Click here for the TDP column about the outstanding job this team did last season during the Michael McDowell qualifying crash. Talk about the right TV team for the moment. Thanks to Preston Fischer for the picture of the McDowell accident. Click on it to see it full size.

Waltrip and McReynolds join Byrnes and Jeff Hammond to end the day with Trackside at 7PM ET. This is always a fun show and this week it features Greg Biffle and David Gilliland as guests.

This post will host your comments about the Friday TV on SPEED. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting.

18 comments:

Watching the Nationwide qualifying as a bunch of names flashing across a computer screen just isn't as good as cars on a TV screen.I'd like to know what the attendance numbers were, for Thursday's events at Mr. Smiths Texas track

I heard tonight from brian vickers that Mr hendrick does not permit facial hair on his drivers..Jimmy Johnson??..Speaking of hair! Leffler,Marty smith and that Fool rutlege wood,please get over your stupid mohawk thing..Its no longer cool guys!!!Where was the nationwide qualifying?? This sport is getting away from us my friends...Sad!!

Is my DVR guide right? It says that the IRL race is on the same time as the Cup race Sunday. They wouldn't be that stupid....would they? I want to watch the IRL...but the KBs show (Kurt and Kyle) trumps anything.

Anon, Maybe this is part of the problem!Mr Hendrick should stick to what has worked for him in the past..I have a hunch there have been more than a few exceptions for JR..I think Rick will be dropping the hammer on the 88 team soon!A good shake and stir...The term,Wake up call comes to mind.I like Dale Jr, but he brings a lot of baggage with him,I think Rick can fix that!!

@ Lesley, I agree with you. I don't know why Mr Hendrick is afraid to shake up the 88 team or, JR himself. At least try some things while the season is young. If the equipment is there, what's the problem?

Now to the topic. Of all Fridays for me to have off. Not much going on today at the track. Not to mention the gap between practice and qualifying. The good thing is, I can run errands in between.

@Lesley--yes and not allow whining about it. I remember when Cousin Tony went to Mikey when they were still with DEI and the rumor was Jr. was whining about missing his cousin. But Mikey loved working with Cousin Tony and there were rumors that Mikey was going to take him when he started the Yota team.

They're a bit "too" familiar and of course they say things that others wouldn't get away with. But short of a few exceptions, Jr.s always had family on the box and has not really been forced to try something different.

I am also seeing something in Dale I really havent noticed until recently..Burnout,Big Time Burnout!!Deer in the headlights kind of stuff..After the D.E.I disaster,I think Dale was looking for someone to give him direction and maybe a place he could hide, or blend in for awhile, so he might catch his breath..Dale needs to let Rick give him that direction..Even If that means sending the Eurys back to D.E.I Or where ever they may end up..Only then, can he let the healing begin!

@ Anon 3:41, Myself never being an owner of a multi car racing operation, you are probably right. I just wonder if there is a timetable for the results. I guess we'll see when Mark passes JR in the points.

A little off topic. I just noticed that there is HS Bball on before the race tomorrow. Do these games run late? Be prepared for NW race roulette.

I think the Fox crew has done a great job with Cup qualifying all year. Since Daytona, we've seen most qualifying runs in their entirety and (as memory serves) have never missed a go-or-go-homer to date. I sure hope the TNT and ESPN crews do a similar great job when they take over.

The only shame is to have to see fully sponsored cars like Scott Speed, Scott Riggs, and Jeremy Mayfield missing the field. Here's hoping that the 66 and 09 teams are planning on using those starting spots they gained at those others' expense to race for a full 500 miles on Sunday like the other 41 teams that will be in the race.

I've been barking this year ESPN don't give a flip about us, so I haven’t gave a flip about them. I haven't kept up with the ESPN schedule this year, so I didn't miss anything. Thanks for nothing ESPN. As a side note, everyone be ready for Alan Bestwick and a bull. He really seems like a good guy, I wish he were on a good channel.It should be an interesting day for the in race reporter, Tony Stewart, and the co car owner will be in the studio.

I'm catching up on today's broadcast, so far so good. Nice hair cuts on Steve and Hermie.(lol)I have already deleted all 3 episodes of that silly show Nascar Smarts. I know Tradin' Paint was slipping, but it's better on a bad day than NS is on a good day. (if there is one)

I enjoyed Trackside, good conversations. Thanks to La-Z-Boyfor sponsoring the show, the La-Z-Boy lounge just doesn't fit.I don't have a solution just talking out loud.